Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described herein are not prior art to the claims in the present application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an example of a repetitive motion disorder and one of the fastest growing occupational illnesses in the United States. CTS typically affects the carpal tunnel, which is a collection of tendons on the palmar side of the wrist that are encased by and slide within a synovial sheath that also surrounds the median nerve. When subjected to repeated, limited range motions such as operating a computer mouse, the sheath can swell and fill with fluid. The swelling of the sheath can put pressure on the median nerve and cause paresthesia, pain, numbness, and other symptoms within the wrist, the first three fingers, and the thumb.
Some treatments for CTS target lifestyle modification. For example, the avoidance of repetitive motions, the use of ergonomic equipment, periodic breaks, the use of keyboard alternatives such as a digital pen, voice recognition software, and/or dictation software, and the modification of job functions are often used to manage CTS.